.
Day of the Darned
"I don't know about this. The side effects are pretty bad," Amy uncertainly said to Drakken, Justine, and Ned as they observed Gemini through a viewing pane. He was groaning and moving in pain, unconscious.
"It's all we have," Justine said. "We can't hold out much longer. Those things are getting more aggressive. We need to get this thing into the air."
"I'll start working on a way to contain it, you guys work on concentrating it," Ned said.
"Justine dear, you go along with him. Drakken and I can finish things off here," DNAmy said. Justine raised an eyebrow but then shrugged and headed after Ned.
DNAmy exchanged evil smirks with Drakken. Drakken pulled out his phone and dialled Shego. "Oh dumpling, the cure is almost ready," he sang. "All we have to do after we've concentrated it is keep it out of the heroes' hands, and Jack Hench is as good as putty in ours."
Shego grinned wickedly on the other end. It was a slow game outplaying Hench, but it could be done. She hung up and fired off a text to him to meet her in the Go Tower Kitchen...
KP
Jack, who had received a text from Shego about two hours after Will had stormed off, waited for her in the designated meeting place. Soon enough, she appeared. "Remember our little understanding?" she asked right off the bat before he could even greet her.
"We hold the cure over the heroes' heads?" Jack asked, smirking.
"Bingo. I'll go get it from Dr. D while you grab the devices we need to super concentrate and store it," she said.
"Oh, I already have it," he said, holding up a vial.
Shego blinked in surprise. "Uh, o-kay? So hand it over," she said, a little confused. How had he gotten it? No way Dr. D would have handed it over to the guy. Maybe Amy?
Jack hummed. "You know, Miss Go, the funny thing about marionettes is they can only do what the puppeteer allows them to. Can a puppet control the puppet master?" he asked.
She started. Where was he going with this, she warily wondered. "Excuse me?" she asked.
"You know it's not in the best interests of any of you to try and pull the wool over my eyes, Shego. Maybe it's best you remind the others of that as well. I'm sure you'll all make the right choice in the end," Jack said.
"What?" Shego asked rigidly. Jack just smiled. Just then Shego's phone rang. She started and grabbed it quickly. Dr. D. She looked sharply at Jack, then back at the phone before accepting the call and holding it to her ear. "Dr. D?" she asked.
"Shego, the cure is gone!" Drakken blurted.
Shego was quiet. She stood utterly still and suddenly felt incredibly, incredibly uncomfortable for reasons beyond her understanding. "No it's not," she dangerously said before hanging up on him without an explanation. Jack smirked. "You know I can just snatch that from you, right?" Shego asked coldly.
"I'm sure you'll try," he replied, tucking it away in his pocket again.
"How did you do it?" she asked darkly.
Almost on cue, a figure slipped into sight from out of the shadows smirking a smirk that matched Jack's in every conceivable way. Shego's eyes widened. Falsetto. Falsetto came up alongside Jack, leaning on his shoulder. Jack smirked at him. "How much do I owe you?" he asked.
"It's the principal of the thing," Falsetto replied.
"You snake!" Shego shouted.
"Sorry, Shego, but I know what side my bread's buttered on," Falsetto replied.
Shego scowled darkly at them both, fists clenched and starting to glow. "You opportunistic son of a..." she began.
"There's no room for mistrust here, Miss Go. Or for treachery," Jack said, cutting her off. "If you and your villain friends try and pull a stunt like this again, you'll end up signing all our death warrants. Head in the game, eyes on the prize. Worry about scheming after everyone is safe again."
She should feel furious she knew, she should be steaming. Instead, she was begrudgingly impressed. "You serve whatever side suits your purposes," she bitterly said.
"I serve them? Sure. Keep telling yourself that. Don't think of it as being opportunistic, think of it as being careful," Jack replied. Shego harrumphed but let it go. "Now, tell the others to focus on the real threat, not stubborn pride," he finished. Shego scoffed in disgust and stormed angrily away. She couldn't believe it. She'd been outplayed! By Falsetto Jones and Jack Hench! Ugh, what was her career coming to?
Jack waited until she was gone and turned to Falsetto. "Really, how much do you want for this?" he asked.
"Really, it was the principal of the thing," Falsetto said as he stopped leaning on his companion. "You scratch my back, I scratch yours. Simple as that."
"Works for me," Jack replied with a smirk.
KP
Shego stormed angrily down the hall. Ugh, she couldn't believe this was happening. She needed a distraction. She paused, seeing Monkey Fist exiting a room and looking lost in his thoughts. Typical of the nobleman. Still, he was better than nothing. Time to practice her naughty act. She smirked a bit and approached him, hips swaying in a pronounced manner. As she drew near, though, she paused, raising an eyebrow. Weird. He seemed deeper in thought than usual and looked a little flustered too. Her eyes widened in realization and she grinned wickedly. Forget the naughty act. Seemed someone had beat her to it. The question was who.
"Ooh, his lordship's been busy," Shego said, approaching him again.
Monkey Fist started and turned to her. Immediately on guard. "And what, pray tell, is that supposed to mean?" he asked.
"You know what it means," she replied, poking his nose. He started, looking quite offended, and brushed her hand away in annoyance. "So, who's the lucky girl, huh, huh?" she asked, nudging him.
"Girl? Preposterous! I hardly have time for such trivialities as romancing a mere girl," Monkey Fist replied, pushing her shoulder away with a scowl and rubbing where she'd nudged.
"Monty, Monty, something tells me this girl is no mere girl," Shego said.
"If you must know, it was the ninja. Yori. Nothing went on, nothing happened, and nothing ever will. For goodness sake, the miserable little creature is literally half my age!" Monkey Fist snapped.
"Ooh, someone's getting naughty," Shego taunted. Though she supposed she really wasn't one to talk. There were at least twelve years between her and Dr... Whoa now! No. There was nothing going on between her and Drakken. She was far too independent for that.
Monkey Fist started and blushed. "Don't drag her into this!" he retorted, though really he didn't know if she was referencing him or Yori. Quickly he recovered his composure. "Miss Go, I'll have you know that even if I were in love with the girl, it would go nowhere. To make romantic advances upon her would be suicide! Either she would attack, or her brother would beat her to it!" Monkey Fist said.
"Lord Fiske, you're telling me you can't take on a ninja?" Shego asked.
"I can take on a ninja, all right?! What I cannot do is take on gods," Monkey Fist answered.
"Gods?" Shego incredulously asked.
"Hirotaka is favored by the gods. Sarutahiko in particular," Monkey Fist stated.
"Wait, wait, wait, you're telling me the drop-dead gorgeous hunk of a ninja is a favorite of the gods? Hmm, I'm on the wrong side," Shego mused. Maybe it should be Hirotaka she played naughty with.
"As if he would be interested in you. It's far more common for men to have issues with dating older women than it is for women to have issues dating older men. Hirotaka seems to be the sort of man who would take issue with dating an older woman, and you are most certainly one of those," Monkey Fist bit.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Shego challengingly asked, tone taking on a cold edge as she lit her plasma. He was walking a thin line, and for his own sake he'd better not fall off.
"Shego, you are a very beautiful and intelligent woman, I'll give you that much. Perhaps I would even consider courting you if I could be bothered with such frivolous nonsense, but you're a grown woman pretending to be a teenager," Monkey Fist bit coldly. If she was playing annoying little sister, he would play taunting older brother.
"Whoa! Too far, Monkey Man," Shego said, scowling.
"You're in the middle of an early midlife crisis," he mocked with a cold grin, rather enjoying the rise he was getting out of her.
She seized his throat and pulled him close, her free hand burning with plasma that she was ready to let fly. "Back off, pretty boy," she growled.
Monkey Fist was starting to have too much fun with this conversation. She was so easy to rile up. It was one of her greatest weaknesses. He wondered how much further he could push it before she lost herself in a murderous rage. Did he want to test that? Oh, why not? He had nothing to lose. "I mean no offense of course, Miss Go. In fact, I greatly admire you. However, you're a touch too… domineering for my tastes. Or the tastes of most men."
"You're a dead man, Monty!" Shego yelled, losing control and instantly blasting at him with plasma.
Monkey Fist dodged nimbly, grinning in exhilaration. Oh, this would be a fun match. The grin fell, though, on seeing her pale face. Well, paler than usual. He frowned. That couldn't be good. She was staring in horror at something behind him. Quickly he turned and his mouth dropped. The main door had been dented by the blast, and the infected were beginning to pry it open!
"You fired at the main door?!" Monkey Fist exclaimed in horror. All at once there was a scream of rage, and just like that the defenses were penetrated! The two gaped in terror. Into Go Tower ran a hoard of infected, screaming and shrieking. "You let them in! You let them in! Blast it, Shego, you couldn't see that coming from a mile away?! At what point did you forget caution?!" he demanded, pointing at the hoard.
Snapping out of her shock, she shouted. "It wasn't my fault! You riled me up!"
"You fired!" he replied.
"Run!" Shego ordered seizing his wrist and racing for the elevator as the infected closed in on them. They ran into it and quickly the doors closed. It shot up to the next level. At each floor Shego stopped it and raced out to barricade weak points of entry, hoping to slow the masses down. Now that the hordes were inside, there was no stopping them. This was very bad.
KP
The others were gathered in the conference room, Gemini included. "You did it!" Hego exclaimed happily when the cure was unveiled to the rest of them in a completed state.
"By some miracle," Mego bit, earning himself a glare from his brothers.
Hego shrugged off his sibling's remark and went back to grinning at the others. For some reason, most all the villains were giving the 'stink-eye', so to speak, to Jack Hench and Falsetto Jones. Only Gemini seemed unperturbed. Hego figured he probably didn't want to know the details that led to that. They weren't important right now anyway. What was important was that now they had the means to end this once and for all.
"Easy, people. This isn't over 'til it's over," Barkin said.
"Where are Monkey Fist and Shego?" Josh asked, looking around.
"Pleasure before business?" Ned more asked than stated.
"What?!" Drakken exclaimed, vines shooting out before he could stop them. He quickly forced them back. "Oh please. Shego would never hook up with the man."
"Actually, she would," Killigan said, eyes lighting up on seeing the look in Drakken's eyes. "Ef no' far love, than certainly far fun."
"Nrrgh, Killigan! Even if she did care to try, Monkey Fist couldn't be bothered," Drakken argued.
"You mean Monkey Fist couldn't betray you like that by taking her away?" Camille teased, eyes lighting up.
"I am not in love with my sidekick, thank you very much! If Monkey Fist wants her, let him have her!" Drakken yelled. Ooh, that thought made his stomach clench. He wondered why. Nrrgh, no he didn't! His stomach didn't clench and he didn't wonder!
All at once, the doors were thrown open and Monkey Fist and Shego burst in screaming in unison, "The infected are in the tower!"
All eyes turned to them in horror and everyone shot to their feet. "What?!" Amelia exclaimed.
"Miss Go lost her temper and in all her brilliance blasted the main door open!" Monkey Fist yelled.
"Hey, it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been acting like such a pompous Brit!" Shego shot.
"I am a pompous Brit!" Monkey Fist yelled.
"Guys, focus! Where are they now?" Hego demanded.
"The bottom floor," Shego answered. "I reinforced what I could and locked this one down. The elevator's been shut off too."
"It won't hold them back for long. We need to get the cure out there or we're all doomed!" Mego exclaimed.
"We have it super concentrated!" Ned exclaimed, pulling out the container. "It just needs to be broken outside!"
"But to get outside we'd like, totally have to…" Camille began. She trailed off, paling.
"We'd have to fight our way through the hordes, either to get to the roof or to get to the ground," Falsetto gravely finished.
"Ach, et's a death sentence!" Killigan exclaimed.
"Not if we can work together!" Kim firmly stated, trying to calm them down.
"We're gonna die!" Ned exclaimed. "I don't wanna die!"
"Snap out of it!" Justine shot, slapping him.
Ned forced himself to calm down. His eyes suddenly lit up in realization and he gasped. "Wait! Does Go Tower have a special escape route? Preferably many special escape routes?"
"Of course! Kid, you may be onto something!" Hego exclaimed.
"Great, where is it?" Justine asked.
Hego winced. "Um, down a few floors?" he lamely replied.
"Ooh, not so great," Josh said, grimacing.
"It's our only hope," Kim said.
"Let's get a move on, people!" Barkin exclaimed.
KP
The group raced from the room in a group. They heard screams and growls signaling to them that the infected had made it as far up as the floor right below theirs. Soon nowhere would be safe. They ran to the stairwell door and exchanged looks. For some, it could very well be the last time they saw each other as, well, human until this was all cleared up. "It's been fun," Kim said to them all, speaking for the heroes.
"Good luck, Kim Possible," Drakken replied, speaking for all of the villains. The two arch-enemies shook hands in a show of solidarity.
"Be careful, Drew Lipsky," Kim replied, concern in her eyes. Drakken smirked and nodded. The two kicked open the door together and bolted down the stairs, the others following their lead. Infected were heading up the stairwell towards them. Kim slid down the railing, kicking them back. She leaped up and flipped over a large group of them. Drakken's vines shot down, ensnaring the mob and pinning them against the walls. Kim kicked open the door to the next floor and gasped. A hoard was there and waiting!
"Play time's on, seriously!" Ed exclaimed, racing into the hoard with the others. The group tore through them viciously, keeping the Wego Twins in the center of the mass for extra protection.
"Why didn't we have the stairwell in one place?! Why did we fragment it?!" Shego demanded of her brothers, shooting plasma at everything that moved.
"Because if we didn't, it would have thrown off the symmetry of the tower, duh," Mego replied.
"Yeah, uh huh, now look where it's gotten us!" Shego yelled.
"Come on, sis, how were we supposed to know a zombie apocalypse would happen?" Hego asked.
"Wasn't our motto 'Be ready for anything?'" the twins questioned.
"One of the many mottos. All of which Hego came up with," Mego said, rolling his eyes.
"Typical," Shego bit, frowning at her oldest brother. Hego grinned sheepishly.
"There's the door!" Amy exclaimed, pointing to the next stairwell. Why had Shego shut down the elevator? They would have been safer inside of it! This wasn't a fire, these were zombies!
It looked like a clear shot to the next door. The group sped up hopefully. All at once, though, a wave of dizziness overcame Gemini. He cried out and collapsed to the ground, holding his head. Apparently, the cure hadn't taken full effect yet. Betty slid to a stop, gasping. Immediately she returned to her twin's side. "Gemini, get up!" she insisted, grabbing her brother and pulling him to his feet. Gemini nodded. The two hurried to catch up to the other villains and heroes, who were all waiting in the door. Gemini collapsed again, though, prompting Betty to stop once more, pale. She ran back to her brother.
"Come on, come on, come on!" Camille ordered the two.
"We can't leave Uncle Sheldon!" Will exclaimed. The man was on the ground, gasping for breath and too weak to run anymore. Betty was desperately trying to get him up, but Sheldon refused to be moved.
"Give me the cure and go! Hurry! I'll get to the roof and keep them busy! If I go with you, I'll only slow you down!" Gemini said to her.
"What? No! No, I'm not leaving you! Sheldon, please, get up!" Betty insisted, tugging at his arm desperately.
"We need to leave him," Monkey Fist insisted. "There's nothing we can do for Gemini anymore!"
"Want a bet?" Jack asked, scowling. Without hesitation he darted out of the stairwell, racing to Sheldon and shooting at the infected converging on the sick man and his sister. Jack would protect his friend for all he was worth. "Get up and move!" Jack ordered, grabbing Gemini's arm and pulling him roughly up, even though the villain tried to resist. "Forget about you unleashing the cure! There's no chance you'll make it. Get the others to safety! I'll take care of this antidote issue! There's no way in heaven or earth that you're falling alone and there's no way you're falling with me."
"Jack…" Gemini began. Will darted out of the stairwell and joined his mother, taking his uncle's other arm so they could get him to the safety of the stairwell while Jack cleared the path behind them. "No! Don't leave him alone!" Gemini begged his family. He wasn't sure if they'd heard Jack's plan, but if they hadn't before, they certainly got the gist of it now after his panicked plea.
Betty paled and Will looked suddenly ill and terrified, quickly looking back at his father just as an infected was pounding at him! Will paled. "Dad!" he cried, fruitlessly reaching toward the man.
Jack braced, knowing he'd be unable to move in time, but all at once, a plasma blast hit the infected, sending it flying. Jack turned in shock, eyes wide. He'd manipulated and tricked his clientele, yet now they were trying to save him? Drakken's vines shot out, snatching Jack and pulling him inside the stairwell. "Don't do anything rash, Hench," Drakken warned, slamming the door and blockading it with a mesh of vines. Jack smirked, honestly relieved, and they all turned and started running again.
KP
They made it down to the next floor and burst through the doors into a hoard of zombies. Desperately they fought their way through the groups. "Only a little farther!" Hego shouted.
All at once they heard Wego One scream in pain! "No!" Wego Two shrieked, looking quickly at his twin.
They all spun, Shego pale. She screamed, covering her mouth. The infected were dragging Wego One away from the others! "Shego, Mego, Hego, Wego, help me!" her little brother screeched in terror, desperately trying to struggle, clawing at the floor.
"One!" Shego screamed, running towards him with Hego, Wego Two, and Mego. All at once, though, Team Go was swarmed, preventing them from advancing. Despite Shego's plasma, Hego's super strength, Wego Two's clones, and Mego's shrinking, they kept getting forced away.
Wego One was sobbing in terror, sending out clones of himself. They were weak, though. He still wasn't fully rested from the last batch! Because of that, the clones made little difference. Oh gods, he was going to die! He couldn't be infected! He was immune, so he was going to be killed! "One!" Kim shouted. All at once, she was flipping over the heads of the hoard. She landed near the boy and began to tear into the infected swarming the preteen. Viciously she ripped into the zombies, throwing them back in droves. "Run!" Kim screamed at the young boy, probably only fourteen or fifteen if that. She leaped at him and seized his arm, pulling him up and pushing him in front of her. Wego One raced back towards his siblings, who had finally managed to clear things up around them.
Suddenly Kim screamed in pain. Wego One slid to a stop with a gasp, turning quickly with eyes wide. An infected had bitten her! "Kim!" Wego One cried, immediately racing back and attacking the infected. He managed to get it away from his saviour, then grabbed her hand and dragged her quickly back to the others.
"Kim!" Shego suddenly exclaimed, practically throwing herself at the younger girl and hugging her tight before she could even stop herself. "You-you saved him, Kimmie, you saved him! Thank you. Thank you so much," she blurted, unable to stop the words from pouring from her mouth. She willed herself to ignore the lump in her throat that threatened potential tears. She didn't cry, she didn't sob, no way, no how.
"No big," Kim replied breathlessly, hugging Shego back though she was a little confused about the sudden show of gratitude.
"She was bitten!" Wego One blurted, guilt lacing his voice.
Shego gasped, pushing Kim quickly back and looking her over. Her eyes widened in shock and horror when she saw the wound in question. She met Kim's eyes once more in disbelief. Had-had Possible just risked her life and humanity for-for one of her enemy's brothers? Oh gods, she had... "Princess..." she began, too stunned to say anything more.
"It's okay, I'm fine. What matters is Wego One is still here," Kim said, applying pressure to the wound. "We have a cure for the infection, not for death. Come on, we have to keep moving!" Quickly she ran into the next stairwell where the others already were.
"KP!" Ron exclaimed, paling on seeing the bite mark. "No," he breathed, looking into his girlfriend's eyes. They were already beginning to fog over.
"It's okay," she promised him, smiling.
Quickly Drakken secured the door behind them and turned to Kim, looking worried and uncertain. "This does not bode well," he gravely stated. Shego swallowed, gazing at the bite mark. Kim had risked everything to save her rival's little brother. Now it would cost her her humanity...
KP
Kim began coughing badly. "Oh Kim," Amy said, covering her mouth with both hands, sadness in her eyes as she ruefully shook her head.
"We need t' leave the lassie behind. Ef she turns…" Killigan began.
"Forget it!" Shego cut off. "Cupcake's coming with us."
"No. He's right. You should keep going. I can hold them back. I'm going to turn soon anyway," Kim replied. "It's no big, really. We have the cure! Everything will be okay."
"Kim, I'm sorry… I-I didn't want this to happen. I didn't want you to get hurt for me," Wego One miserably said, guilt tearing him up and tears in his eyes.
"Hey, it's what I do," Kim reassured the boy with a smile, patting his head. Her eyes were misted with tears. Oh gods, she missed her brothers so much... She'd give anything to have the tweebs here with her now. Shego was so lucky.
"Possible, leaving you behind is out of the question," Barkin stated. "All for one and one for all."
"Until you turn, Kim-san, you will remain with us," Hirotaka agreed, bowing to her.
"It's too risky," Kim replied.
"It can't possibly get much worse than it is now," Justine stated.
"Stick close, Pumpkin," Shego ordered. "The ballots have been cast."
KP
They raced out into the next hallway, again fighting through hordes and hordes of infected. "Keep close and keep in line!" Barkin was ordering over the battle.
"Keep quiet!" Jack yelled at him, finding himself more distracted than anything by the orders the man was giving. Barkin started and frowned, but obeyed.
"We're almost at the emergency exit!" Hego informed them. "Golfer, buy us some time!"
"Aye," Killigan agreed. He slid to a stop and began firing his golf balls back at the horde, slowing them down. Unfortunately, he was so focused on the ones coming towards them that he didn't pay attention to what was happening around him. All at once a side door flew open! He hardly could gasp before they'd tackled him. "Help!" he cried out in terror, desperately trying to fend them off. "Help me!"
"Duff!" Amy screamed.
"I've got him!" Will exclaimed, leaping forward with his weapons. He shot the tiny pistol and a shock wave flew out, throwing the infected back from advancing on the man and ripping him to shreds. He turned his attention to the ones already on the golfer and leapt at them, fighting powerfully with all the combat skills he had. They were sent flying. Will decked one of the creatures and spun, kicking another. As soon as Killigan was free, Will seized his arm and pulled him up. "Catch up to the others, I'll cover you!" Will ordered. Killigan, shocked and grateful, nodded and obeyed. Will followed the golfer, taking care of straggling infected.
"Laddie, ye' saved me life," Killigan said to the boy in shock the moment they were back with the others.
"No trouble," Will answered, smirking. "We're all in this together."
"Got it!" Hego exclaimed. They all turned. A tiny little door opened near the bottom of the wall about the size of a mouse hole. Everyone except Team Go blinked blankly at it.
"That's it?!" Josh demanded, snapping out of his shock. "Who can fit through there?"
"Mego," Hego, Shego, and the Wego Twins answered together. Mego smirked and shrunk, quickly running through the door.
"How do we know he won't leave us behind?" Amelia asked.
"The guy loves himself, sure, but come on, he's still our brother," Shego replied.
"Mego's loyalty has always been with us," the Wego Twins chimed together.
"Not so much Team Go as a team, but with Team Go as individuals," Hego agreed. Sure enough, the escape door opened fully this time, and the group ran inside, shutting the door behind them. Mego grew back to normal size.
"Question. What would have happened if Mego weren't here?" Monique wondered.
"Then I would break open the wall, we'd rush in, all of us remaining would type in special codes at the little computer screens you see, and a backup door would fall into place," Hego answered.
"You guys covered everything," Monique said.
"Not quite," Shego replied. "Cough, cough, huge screen in the conference room?"
"We're not doing this here, sis," Hego said to her warningly.
"You must hold on, Kim-san. Just a little longer," they heard Yori pleading. Gasping, their attention turned back to Kim. She was pale and sickly-looking but nodded weakly nonetheless.
"This is all my fault," Wego One said, looking sadly down.
"Would you quit beating yourself up about it?" Mego demanded.
"Yeah, it could have just as easily been anyone," Wego Two assured his twin. Wego One smiled a little. He guessed they had a point. Maybe.
"Let's keep going. The sooner the cure is in the air the better," Tara stated. They immediately headed off.
KP
The group walked through the passage for a long time in silence, hearing the infected screaming and roaring through the walls. Kim was beginning to stagger. "We should have brought another needle with us filled with the antidote," Fukushima said to the group, breaking the silence.
"We should have brought a whole lot more than one," Monique said. "Kim's not gonna be the only one of us who ends up infected I'll bet."
"Pick her up, Ron," Amelia said to Ron. "She can hardly walk."
Ron swallowed tightly and obeyed, scooping Kim up into his arms. Kim stared blankly up at him. For a moment he could have sworn he heard her growl lowly. She was going to turn any minute now. "Give me the containment unit," Kim said quietly.
"What? Why?" Dr. Director quickly demanded. She didn't believe she liked where this was going.
"The minute we get outside, I'll run into the hordes. I'll break the cure open before I turn," Kim weakly said.
"Kim…" Ron began, voice wavering a bit.
"Ron, let me go. Things will be okay soon, just wait and see," Kim promised, smiling bravely up at him.
"N-no…" Ron said, tears threatening his eyes.
"She may be our only hope," Hego gently said to Ron, placing a hand on his shoulder. Ron swallowed painfully.
"Here's the exit," Mego said, pausing at a section of wall.
"All right, listen up people. Through this door are swarms upon swarms of infected just waiting for us to walk outside. Be ready for anything. Some of us may not make it," Barkin said.
"Um, can I like, take a raincheck or something? Battle does unkind things to my manicure," Camille nervously asked. A chorus of agreement rippled through the group.
"Oh this is just sad," Barkin said, facepalming.
"Let's just get this over with!" Amelia exclaimed, throwing open the door and racing out. The others, shocked, followed her quickly.
KP
They stood outside and gaped at the small island on which Go Tower was situated. It was covered! "We're so dead," Ned said.
"Quick, the cure!" Kim exclaimed. Wade whipped it out and Kim grabbed it. She leapt from her boyfriend's arms and ran instantly into the hordes.
"Kim!" Ron cried out after her, trying to pursue. Josh held him back.
Kim slid into the midst of the infected. They all roared and started to go after her. Kim raised the cure up, ready to smash it, but suddenly stopped with a pained gasp. "What's happening? What's wrong?" Shego demanded, wondering why Kim had stopped.
"Oh no. She's being overwhelmed by the infection!" Betty exclaimed. Sure enough, the cure dropped from Kim's hand, rolling on the ground, and Kim hunched over, growling. All at once she roared loudly and stood straight, bending back with arms outstretched. The other zombies roared as well, welcoming the newcomer into their ranks.
"Oh, this very bad now," Ron said.
Justine gasped. "We have to get the cure into the air!" she exclaimed. Before anyone could stop her, she was running into the sea of zombies!
"Justine, no!" Ned cried, racing after her. The others quickly followed, scowling and meeting the hoard head-on. Gemini, however, stayed in the secret passage. Hego paused only long enough to shut the door on him. He was too weak to help them fight right now.
KP
Justine gasped and dodged a zombie's attack. She slid under another and snatched the cure. "Justine! Justine, don't!" she heard Ned cry. She couldn't risk not at least trying, though. The cure had to be released!
She dropped to the ground and slammed the cure against a rock as hard as she could. It didn't break, and terror filled her eyes. "What?" she breathed. Oh no, Ned had made it too strong! It would take a lot more than one hit to release it. She began bashing it repetitively. It was beginning to dent. All at once, though, she felt a bite rip into her and screamed in pain.
"No!" Ned cried in terror. She looked back at him, eyes apologetic.
Standing up with the cure in hand, Justine threw it as far as she could back toward the others. Amelia leapt up and caught it, then looked towards the young genius in time to see her become one of the infected. "Good girl," Amelia quietly murmured, sadness in her eyes. Two down. They were dropping like flies and this wasn't even close to being over. She ran back to the others. "We need to stay together! Don't get separated!" she called. She tried to ram the cure into the ground, but all at once an infected attacked her. She screamed, falling to the ground, and the cure rolled into the hoard out of sight! Hirotaka tackled the zombie, knocking it off Amelia.
"Are you bitten?" he demanded.
"N-no, I'm fine," she answered, staggering up.
"Ach, who are we goin' t' lose next?" Killigan asked worriedly.
"Look out!" Hego cried, surging forward and snatching Killigan out of the way of an infected. Killigan gaped the zombie that had nearly gotten him in shock. "You if you're not careful," Hego chastised. Killigan sheepishly grinned. Hego put him back on the ground and began charging through the infected like a bowling ball. Killigan began letting his golf balls fly.
"We're routed, people, fall back!" Barkin called loudly. They began to try and retreat. All at once, though, Barkin screamed in pain as a swarm of five infected grabbed him and began ripping into his flesh.
"Mr. B!" Ron exclaimed as they all slid to a stop. The only reply was a vicious roar from a now zombified Barkin.
"Oh rot," Monkey Fist said, tensing as the rest of them got into a circle, ready to defend against all sides.
"We're not gonna make it!" Ron exclaimed.
"Stoppable, Monkey Powers!" Monkey Fist ordered. Immediately he summoned his own. Ron swallowed and nodded, trying to focus.
"Into the center, Outsider! We will defend you. Focus on meditating!" Fukushima ordered. Ron obeyed quickly, sitting and putting more trust in this mismatched bunch than he ever had before.
In moments he leapt into the air. "Booyah!" he shouted. Immediately he and Monkey Fist shot off, tearing through the hordes.
"This isn't sticking together!" Tara called after them worriedly.
"Ugh, leave them! They wanna die, they can die," Shego said, shooting blasts at approaching infected. She screamed in pain as suddenly something bit her. She would have panicked, except she knew she was immune. She blasted the thing away. "Hey, nobody bites me!"
"Shego!" Hego shouted, pointing behind his sister. Shego gasped and spun only to be tackled by a large horde and dragged away into their midst.
"They'll kill her! If they can't infect her they'll kill her!" Amy exclaimed. Instantly she threw down her Buddy Balls, summoning her mutants, all of which promptly tore into the zombies, clearing her path. DNAmy leapt onto her Otterfly and ordered, "Go to Shego!" The mutant buzzed, nodding, and immediately flew toward the woman.
"Help! Help!" Shego screamed, feeling her skin being torn off in chunks. Desperately she fought back, but she was alone and being swarmed!
All at once Amy was there, leaping from her Otterfly and pulling out a weapon, shooting at the masses and keeping them back. "Get up!" Amy ordered, pulling Shego to her feet. The Otterfly was swooping back for them. "Jump onto it! He won't bite!" Amy ordered.
"I owe you big, Ames," Shego answered, grinning in relief at Amy. Amy winked. Shego leapt up onto the Otterfly and grabbed DNAmy, pulling her up. The two returned to where the circle had been only to see, in horror, that it had been breached, and now their allies were scattered!
"Oh dear," Amy said.
"Come on, we're going down there!" Shego exclaimed, scowling on seeing Hego being swarmed and torn into.
"Help!" Hego called. He was holding his own, but he was losing more blood than he cared to admit. He cried out in pain as he was suddenly tackled by another wave. He screamed as they began tearing into him. He was blacking out! Oh gods, he was going to die! "Shego, Mego, Wegos, I'm sorry!" he cried out.
"No touchy my brother!" Shego yelled, eyes flaming and teeth gritted. She leapt from the Otterfly, flipping and landing next to Hego, viciously blasting the zombies away from him. She couldn't keep this up, though. All at once Mego and the Wego Twins were there, helping her. "About time!" she said to them.
"Sis, the twins can't go much longer!" Mego said to Shego. "We need to get them to safety!" Shego noticed with a cold dread that the Wego Twins were bleeding badly, Wego One more so, as he'd already been attacked.
"Amy!" Shego yelled to the geneticist floating above and shooting at zombies. Amy looked down. "Get Camille and Adrena then come cover us!"
"Righty o', Shego," Amy sang. Quickly she moved to obey.
KP
Camille, taking on the form of whoever seemed most suited to a particular situation, morphed back into herself from the shape of Hego, eyes narrowed and determined. Adrena, close by, was shooting like mad, covering her partner when needed. They heard Falsetto's wolfhounds somewhere nearby, attacking and mauling infected. The two exchanged looks. Motor Ed wheeled up on them. "This is totally rad, babes!" he said.
"Rad is bad! Shego needs our cover!" Amy suddenly called from above. The three looked up, gasping. Amy pointed then flew off. Quickly they followed her lead, racing back towards Team Go.
Shego, Mego, and the twins were getting tired, gasping and panting for breath. They couldn't hold out much longer, and Hego had gone unconscious! Mego was muttering under his breath, probably a stream of curses. All at once a second Hego rammed through the crowds, sending the infected flying before morphing back into Camille. Seconds later, Motor Ed was hitting the zombies and Adrena was letting loose with cover fire along with DNAmy.
"Get them out of here!" Adrena called to Shego. Shego grinned. She and Mego bent and lifted Hego. As quickly as they could, they made their way back to the safety of the tower where Gemini was.
"Team Go's out for the count!" Amy yelled over the hordes, hoping the others heard her. And they were all out for the count. Of them all, Mego was in the best shape, and he could hardly walk. In all honesty, he was pretty much carrying both Shego and Hego at this point. Adrenaline did wonders. You'd never guess the lanky young man could carry both his huge brother and his sister at the same time.
"Get inside," Shego ordered. The twins entered quickly. Mego helped Hego into the safe house. Just as Shego was about to follow, though, she felt herself being tackled and screamed.
"Shego!" Mego and the twins cried, spinning around with eyes wide.
KP
Drakken heard his sidekick scream and gasped, paling. He lifted himself up on his vines and saw the zombies congregating in one area. His eyes widened when he saw the swath of green among them. "Shego!" he exclaimed. Scowling, he instantly sent out a wave of flowers. They shot towards his sidekick and grabbed the infected in groups, prying them away from her. Drakken landed on the ground again and ran toward his sidekick as quickly as he could. He needed to reach her! Izanagi, don't fail him now, he willed.
Some of the flowers began spewing spores. Drakken grinned in relief. These were poisonous flowers he'd recently discovered he could use. The poisonous spores would slow down the infected and put them out of commission without killing them. He probably had some flowers that could kill, but he wasn't inclined to use those. After all, they were all still people beneath the zombie exteriors. Drakken dove under a horde and landed next to his sidekick. Standing quickly, he began fighting back viciously with his vines until there was room for him to breathe again.
He looked back at the woman and his stomach knotted in panic. She wasn't moving and was covered in blood! "Shego!" he exclaimed. Quickly he bent, scooping his sidekick into his arms and holding her close. He erected a vine shield and ran towards Go Tower where her brothers and Gemini were. They were anxiously watching, hoping Drakken made it. He reached them and handed Shego off to Mego.
"Thank you," Mego said gratefully. Drakken looked worriedly at the unconscious Shego. All at once, he bent, kissing her forehead tenderly. The others' jaws dropped in shock. Drakken blushed and quickly shut Team Go and Gemini inside. This was getting very, very bad.
KP
"Shego's safe," Amy informed Ed, Adrena, and Camille.
"Thank goodness," Camille said in relief, panting for breath. "Ew, I'm sweating! Ugh, this is so gross."
"We rule! Give me some, babe!" Ed exclaimed to Adrena. Adrena laughed, still firing. All at once, though, she screamed in pain as something sank its teeth into her shoulder seizing her roughly and throwing her to the side. "Adrena, no!" Ed exclaimed, paling and looking terrified. He instantly ran to her side and knelt next to her. "Babe, look at me! Babe!"
Adrena's eyes flickered open. "I-I'm changing," she breathed weakly and a little fearfully.
"No…" Ed said. "No!" She fell back, lying still.
"Eddie, get away from her!" Camille screamed.
Ed gasped, looking back. He had to move! Just then, though, he heard her growl. He paled and turned back in time to see her eyes fly open. At the same time, she lunged, sinking her teeth into his arm viciously. He cried out in pain and pulled back. Oh no. He was infected!
"Ed!" Camille and Amy screamed.
Drakken came upon them just then and saw the bite mark on his cousin. "Eddie!" he exclaimed, terror coming to his eyes. He ran to his baby cousin's side and grabbed his arm, looking at it in horror. He looked up at his relative, fear in his eyes.
"S-sorry cuz. Guess-guess I didn't see this one comin'," Eddie breathed, looking just as shocked.
"You idiot! I promise mother I'll protect you and this happens? Where's that cure?! Anybody?!" Drakken yelled. Now he was more desperate than ever. He had to save his cousin, he had to! He'd promised nothing would happen to Ed! He-he'd promised.
"Drew, dude, chill. It-it'll be okay," Ed reassured, tone softer than usual. Drakken looked at Ed in fear and gasped, pulling back. Ed was starting to turn.
"E-Eddie…" Drakken began.
Eddie looked forlornly up at him and said, "Never said this before, cuz, probably won't say it again… but I did love you."
"I-I loved you too…" Drakken replied, tears threatening his eyes. He was unsure how else to react.
"Drakken, run!" Camille screeched, snapping Drakken out of his daze. Ed convulsed once then snarled and suddenly lunged with a scream
"Dr. Drakken!" Amy cried.
Drakken could only gape. All at once, he was tackled out of the way. Drakken gasped and turned to see his rescuer. His eyes widened. "Falsetto!" he exclaimed.
"Drakken, don't lose it now! Too many of us are gone. We can't risk any more super-powered allies falling off!" Falsetto said. Ed was roaring in pain as Falsetto's wolfhounds attacked him, driving him away from Amy and Camille. Falsetto rose and pulled Drakken to his feet.
"I suppose I owe you then?" Drakken asked, trying to sound unenthusiastic. His eyes, though, were filled with gratefulness. Falsetto smirked at him. All at once, Camille was in the dog breeder's arms, holding him tightly.
"I so thought you were a gonner!" she exclaimed. Falsetto had to admit, he was pleasantly surprised by her display of affection. He wasn't a fan of the valley girl accent honestly, or the ditzy show she put on, but right now he didn't particularly care. Amy grinned and started to approach them, but just then zombie Barkin leapt in front of her and bit her arm deeply. Amy screamed in pain.
Killigan, from afar, heard Amy's scream and gasped, spinning. He spotted her and his eyes widened. "Amy!" he cried, instantly racing towards the woman. He sent off a golf ball that blew the infected away from her, then spun his golf clubs and struck Barkin viciously with them, sending the man flying back. He turned to Amy and gasped. She was pale.
"I-I'm infected," she breathed.
"Oh no…" Killigan breathed, looking at the injury with fear in his eyes. "Amy…"
Amy swallowed and looked up at him. "It's too late to stop this. Duffy, can you do something for me?"
"Anythin' lass," Killigan vowed, feeling a foreign burning in his eyes. Drakken, Falsetto, and Camille watched helplessly.
"Make them pay," she hissed. Killigan swallowed dryly and nodded. She pulled away from him quickly and fled into the hordes. She wouldn't turn on her friends that easily. Killigan watched helplessly after her.
"It'll all be over soon, Killigan," Drakken vowed.
"Considering, of course, we don't all die before we find that cure and smash it open!" Falsetto snapped.
"I-I need to go," Camille suddenly breathed.
Falsetto turned sharply to her. She lifted her shirt a bit, revealing a bite mark, and he caught his breath in shock. When had she been bitten? She was resistant of course, but given she was also weak at the moment given all the energy she'd been exerting shape-shifting, she couldn't stay and fight any longer. She needed to get back into Go Tower. Well this just got better and better, Falsetto wryly thought. "I'll bring you back," he said.
"Falsetto, you stay too," Drakken said.
"Aye, yer hardly en a good way, laddie, and there are people dyin' en there," Killigan backed. "They need help."
"Do I look like a doctor?" Falsetto demanded.
"Can you continue fighting with us much longer?" Drakken asked, pointing at the numerous deep slashes in his abdomen. At least the man wasn't infected.
"I could, actually," Falsetto replied. Just then, though, his dogs came limping up to him, both whining and in a bad state. He caught his breath.
"They can't," Camille said.
Falsetto grimaced, hesitating, and considered his situation. Point One: He was almost out of bullets. Point Two: His dogs were by far his best method of attack, and they couldn't keep going anymore. Point Three: He'd taken veterinarian courses so technically he was the closest thing to an actual doctor, next to Drakken and Fukushima, that these people had right now, and Team Go was in a bad way. "Fine. Let's go," Falsetto relented, taking Camille's hand. He whistled to his wolfhounds and quickly they ran back towards Go Tower, quickly disappearing inside.
"How many are left?" Drakken asked Killigan worriedly.
"About fifteen at last count," Killigan gravely answered.
"We need to find that cure!" Drakken exclaimed.
"We will. Do no' lose yer head," Killigan assured. Drakken nodded helplessly.
KP
Ned was running out of stamina. Now he was starting to wish he'd gotten out of his room and Bueno Nacho more often. He was exhausted and in bad shape. He gasped as Hirotaka cried out in pain, sliding back next to him. The ninja dazedly shook his head and leapt nimbly back up. "Were you bitten?" Ned asked worriedly.
"No," Hirotaka answered. He moaned and held his ribs, though.
Tara, Josh, Yori, Amelia, Fukushima, and Monique all backed up next to Hirotaka and Ned. "You are injured, brother," Fukushima said to Hirotaka, worriedly watching the way Hirotaka clutched his ribs.
"Am I? I had not noticed," Hirotaka sarcastically replied. Fukushima smirked. At least Hirotaka was semi-attempting to have a sense of humor about the situation.
"How many of us are gone?" Monique asked quickly.
"Thirteen, approximately," Hirotaka replied.
"We aren't going to make it!" Ned exclaimed. He looked at Hirotaka worriedly and said, "Uh, Taka, I think you might have a cracked rib."
"Hirotaka, you must retreat!" Yori exclaimed. She'd been begging him to retreat for the last five minutes! Ever since he'd begun to limp and clutch his side. "You cannot fight, brother. Not with a broken rib."
"Dude, we can get you to the safe house," Josh agreed.
"There are too many of us falling as it is," Hirotaka protested.
"How you doin' Ned?" Monique asked.
"Badly!" he replied.
"Are you infected?" Amelia asked fearfully.
"Carrier, remember? If anything I'll just be ripped to shreds!" Ned exclaimed.
Just then Tara screamed. They all spun. "Help!" she shrieked. A zombie was biting her and pulling her away from the others!
"Tara!" they all exclaimed, leaping after the girl.
"Tara, no!" Josh screamed, racing towards her. Ron suddenly landed in front of his friend and pushed him back. "Dude, move!" Josh ordered.
"Josh, it's too late! Don't lose it, man!" Ron exclaimed. His powers died out right then and he gasped.
Josh started, concern filling his eyes. "Ron?" he asked.
"I-I can't keep it up. Any longer and I would have just passed out! Monkey Fist is still going, but he's losing his stamina," Ron explained. Yori gasped, concern filling her eyes. If even Monkey Fist couldn't keep this pace, what did that say for their odds?
Tara suddenly roared, racing at the others. "Run!" Monique exclaimed. Quickly the group fled the area.
As they went they began taking out zombies, but Hirotaka was becoming increasingly slower. "What's wrong with Taka?" Ron asked.
"A broken rib and perhaps more serious injuries still," Fukushima answered. "He will not go. He believes we are too short on allies already."
"He's right," Ron gravely said, shaking his head sadly. "There's only us, the Freak Stooges, Mr. Hench, Junior, Will, and Dr. Director left. We're at a serious lack of supers, people!"
"Thank your lucky stars Team Go was immune," Monique wryly stated.
Just then Josh cried out in pain as something tackled him and began ripping into him. "Josh!" Ron exclaimed, racing back and tackling the thing off of his companion. Josh staggered up, panting. He gaped in horror at the bite mark. Ron gasped, paling. Josh looked quickly at him, eyes wide in fear. "D-dude, just hold on. We-we're gonna get you help! Just wait! Josh, come on man you gotta stay with us! Stay with us!" Ron begged, grabbing the other's shoulders and shaking him. Just then, though, Josh passed out, falling limply into Ron's arms. "Oh man, this can't be happening!" Ron exclaimed.
"Stoppable-san, look out!" Yori exclaimed. All at once Josh was awake, but zombified. He tackled Ron with a snarl, knocking him into a mess of zombies.
"Ron!" Amelia and Monique cried. Immediately they, along with Yori, Ned, Hirotaka, and Fukushima, raced to help.
KP
"Help!" Ron was crying out. The five others leapt into the hordes and began fighting through to reach him. Finally they got to their friend and managed to pull the badly injured boy away. "I-I can't move," Ron gasped, panting for breath.
"We need to get him to Go Tower!" Monique exclaimed.
"Hirotaka, you too!" Amelia ordered. This time Hirotaka didn't protest. He could hardly stay conscious through the pain now. The others believed that only one rib had been broken, but there were a lot more than that. It would be suicide for him to remain out here.
"I'll take them with Fukushima!" Ned volunteered.
"We'll be right here," Amelia replied, fending off a wave of infected. Immediately Ned and Fukushima took the two injured parties and ran towards Go Tower. Reaching it, they deposited Hirotaka and Ron inside.
"Fukushima, Ned, be safe," Hirotaka said to them, looking around at the other injured. Falsetto, though wounded himself, was trying to help them along with Gemini. Hirotaka may not have been able to fight, but he could certainly help with first aid. Fukushima bowed. Ned nodded, swallowing dryly and brushing his now messy hair back. Quickly the two ran off.
KP
Amelia watched helplessly as Monique began to turn, the younger woman screaming in pain. Soon she would be joining her, she knew. They'd been unable to withstand the hordes and so had fallen. "Monique, Amelia, you must hold on," Yori pled, but she knew it was useless to plead.
Just then Fukushima and Ned reached their sides and gasped, paling. "Monique!" Fukushima exclaimed, eyes filling with terror. He raced to her side. She leaned against him, coughing.
"Y-you have-have to run. We-we're turning," she said to him. Amelia was quiet, holding her stomach painfully.
"This can't be…" Ned said, exchanging dismayed looks with Yori and Fukushima. In a matter of minutes, their group had dwindled to only them and whoever else was left. Fukushima shivered and pulled away from Monique, who was now coughing. Amelia gave a low growl.
"I am sorry," Yori said, tears in her eyes.
"Yori, move!" Ned exclaimed, grabbing her hand and racing over to Fukushima, who had pulled away from Monique. All at once Monique and Amelia roared, leaping up and turning on them. The trio bolted as fast as they could.
"We must find the others!" Fukushima exclaimed.
"I will search for Dr. Director!" Yori exclaimed, suddenly pulling away.
"Yori, wait, we must stay together!" Fukushima cried, starting after her. She didn't turn. Great.
"Fukushima, look out!" Ned warned. Zombie Motor Ed was leaping at the ninja with a roar! Fukushima gasped and paled, sliding to a stop! "No!" Ned exclaimed, leaping forward and tackling Fukushima out of the way. Ed landed and spun, grabbing Ned from Fukushima.
"Ned!" Fukushima exclaimed, leaping up. Ned cried out in terror as Ed spun him over his head and threw him into the midst of the zombies! "No!" Fukushima exclaimed. If the infected were unable to infect Ned, they would kill him instead! Ned was already screaming for help.
Fukushima leapt through the masses and finally found the other young man. He fought back the infected and ordered, "Run to Go Tower! I will protect you!" Ned was bleeding badly and moving slowly, but Fukushima had resolved to get him to safety.
"Why are you doing this?" Ned asked.
"A debt of honor. You saved my life," Fukushima answered. And honestly, if Motor Ed had landed on him, he would have had his throat ripped out before anyone would have been able to blink. The biker was absolutely rabid. Quickly Ned staggered toward the tower. As soon as the ninja had ensured the injured party was safe inside, Fukushima focused on the hordes closing in on him. He was alone, and his chances had just dropped a hundredfold.
KP
Monkey Fist gasped, falling to the ground. He couldn't do this anymore. Look at him, he was shaking. Where were Drakken and Killigan? Were they even alive? And what about the others? He looked exhaustedly towards the hordes converging on him. He swallowed and shakily rose, regretting keeping the powers out as long as he had. Now he was exhausted and far from the top of his game.
"The last stand then, is it? Very well. Bring it," he challenged. He'd die fighting. He would not be an easy target for these rabid zombies.
They converged on him, tearing into him as he desperately fought back. He didn't bother crying out for help. For all he knew, he was the only one left. He paled a bit at that thought. Fukushima. Where was the boy? He fought all the harder. He needed to know, and dash it all, that cure needed to be found and broken open! If he was the last one alive, he was their last hope!
He felt himself falling back. He couldn't do this, he realized in dread. He couldn't keep up! He was going to die. He felt the ground giving out under him and looked back. He was at the edge of a cliff! Just perfect. "Monkey Fist!" he heard a familiar voice exclaim. Someone was alive! He never thought in a million years he'd actually be glad to hear this one's voice, though.
"Junior!" he called, desperate for help. Any help! All at once, zombies were being driven away from him. Monkey Fist gasped in relief. Wait. He couldn't feel the ground! He gasped as suddenly he found himself falling. In terror he cried out, toppling over the cliff.
"Monkey Fist!" Junior exclaimed, diving and catching his hand. Monkey Fist looked up gasping. "Do not worry. I have you!" Junior said.
"About time!" the nobleman exclaimed in relief. Junior grinned and pulled the man up. The two turned to face the hordes. "Who else is alive?" Monkey Fist asked.
"Jack, Will, Dr. Director, those are the only ones I know for certain," Junior replied.
Monkey Fist felt his stomach clenching. That meant Drakken, Killigan, Fukushima, and Yori were more likely than not already gone... He scowled darkly at the thought. "Then we shall make the infected pay," Monkey Fist said.
"You will," Junior said. Monkey Fist froze and turned quickly. Junior looked sadly at him and revealed his arm. "I was bitten. About a minute ago while I was saving you. I do not have much time left I fear."
Monkey Fist blinked at the bite mark and sighed deeply, bowing his head. This was a nightmare. Opening his eyes once more, he said, "You will be safe from me. Take care of yourself, boy. I wish all the best for you. Thank you for saving my life."
"Really?" Junior asked, hope filling his eyes.
"Don't get sentimental," Monkey Fist warned. "Good lad." He patted Junior's shoulder and immediately after leapt away, leaving the infected boy to turn.
KP
Betty shot down zombie after zombie, scowling. She looked around. She couldn't see her son anywhere, or her husband. "Will! Jack!" she screamed, hoping they would respond. No answers. She heard explosions in the distance. Killigan was alive at least. She leapt up to a higher vantage point as zombie Kim jumped at her. Betty looked ahead. She spotted vines as well. Drakken was still moving too then. Good. She leapt down from the rock and began shooting at the hordes, trying to make it to Drakken and Killigan. They needed to regroup, all of them! They needed a break before they lost everyone! She desperately scanned the ground for the cure. All at once she heard a roar and looked up with a gasp. Zombie DNAmy and zombie Adrena were closing in on her! Nimbly she dodged them, leaping to the side and rolling. She cursed them both and scrambled through the horde.
"Betty!" she heard a voice cry out. Jack!
"Jack!" she screamed, hoping he would hear her. She slid to a stop. It was best if she moved as little as possible so that he could find her. Well, within reason that was. She began battling off the hordes boldly, scowling viciously at them. All at once, a mass group began converging on her locale. She gasped. She would never be able to fight them all off! Before she could blink, though, she was tackled from the side and knocked over the cliff! She screamed in terror.
She and whoever had tackled her hit the ground. She landed on top of her rescuer. He cried out in pain. She gasped and turned, eyes wide. "Jack!" she exclaimed, seeing who she'd landed on. He shook his head, trying to shake out of his daze. Without warning, she seized his lips with hers, kissing him gratefully. He hardly had time to process it though, before she pulled away as quickly as she'd taken them and rose. He staggered to his feet and cracked his back, which had taken a painful impact when they'd fallen. They looked back up, glad it hadn't been a steep drop. The infected were moving away from the edge, so clearly the creatures had no intention of climbing down just yet. That was a relief.
"Where's Will?" Jack asked.
"I don't know. I thought he was with you!" Betty replied.
"With me?" Jack incredulously asked.
"When the circle broke up it was you and Junior he ended up stuck with!" Betty said.
"It was?" Jack asked, genuinely surprised. He'd lost sight of Junior almost instantly, which probably meant that if Will had been with them, he'd drifted away from him along with the young Spaniard.
"We have to get back up there. We need to regroup!" Betty exclaimed, preparing to climb up the cliff.
"Mom, dad?!" a voice called from above. They looked up.
"Will!" they exclaimed, seeing him looking over the cliff and down at them, panic in his eyes.
"Dr. Director, you're okay!" Will exclaimed. "Hold on, I'll get you up!"
"Don't worry Agent Du, we have this," Betty replied, easily beginning to scale the cliff.
"You might!" Jack called after her. She was a secret agent, for crying out loud! He was a businessman. He didn't do the hands-on training and combat. She smirked, winking down at him then focusing on climbing again. He groaned, rolling his eyes, and took hold of the cliff. Here was hoping what little mountain climbing experience he had would be enough to get him back up there.
KP
Monkey Fist ran through the masses, following the sound of Killigan's explosions. By now whoever was left had probably had the same idea. All at once, he ran right into someone. He cried out in alarm as she screamed. He gasped. "Yori!" he exclaimed.
"You are alive!" she exclaimed, suddenly hugging him tightly. She remembered her manners right after, though, and quickly pulled away from him, blushing. She bowed to him, saying, "I had hoped I would find another who was still normal."
"Well you found one," he replied. "Where are Fukushima and Hirotaka?"
"Hirotaka is injured and inside the tower. I lost sight of Fukushima in the hordes," she answered as they began to run towards Killigan's explosions.
"Perfect. Just what I needed," Monkey Fist said, rolling his eyes hopelessly. Why did the boy have to make it so difficult for him to uphold the vow he'd given Setsuka?
All at once zombie Wade and zombie Barkin appeared, roaring. The two gasped. The infected duo lunged. Yori and Monkey Fist dove apart and rolled. Yori drew her Tessan, eyes narrowed. Of course, she wouldn't fatally wound either of them, but she would fight. Monkey Fist leapt up and stood in a fighting pose. Immediately the duo began flipping and leaping towards Barkin and Wade, working in perfect harmony and copying each other's moves. In mere seconds the two zombies, plus some other infected that had been joining them, were downed. Monkey Fist and Yori grinned victoriously.
"You, my dear, are one of the most graceful fighters I have ever met," Monkey Fist complimented.
"Arigato," she replied with a smile, bowing to him. Suddenly she screamed as she was tackled. She spun, quickly fighting back an infected Monique. Her eyes filled with fear. "Monique!" she exclaimed.
"Yori!" Monkey Fist cried, leaping to try and reach her. Before he could, though, a horde blocked his access and began coming at him. Monkey Fist nimbly dodged around them, moving like a dancer. He quickly put them down and began springing forward. He gasped. Monique was there, but Yori had vanished! "Dash it all," Monkey Fist growled.
"Monkey Fist!" he suddenly heard Yori scream.
He gasped and looked over. She was on a high rock, fighting down infected and preventing them from grabbing her. He scowled and leapt towards her. He was almost tackled by a zombie Amelia, but just then a vine shot out, catching her and throwing her to the side. Monkey Fist gasped and turned. Drakken and Killigan!
"Drakken, ready a vine!" Monkey Fist ordered. Drakken nodded and sent one out. "Lift me!" Drakken obeyed, lifting the Monkey King into the air. Monkey Fist began swinging, heading for Yori. She was about to be overwhelmed! He swooped through the air, eyes set and determined. He reached out and snatched her around the waist, carrying her out of harm's way just as the infected reached where she'd been standing. She blinked back at them then grinned at Monkey Fist.
KP
The two flipped, landing next to Drakken and Killigan. Just then Betty, Will, and Jack dashed onto the scene. "You're alive!" Will exclaimed in relief on seeing them all. He frowned and asked nervously, "Is this all that's left?"
"Aye, half are infected, half are en the tower badly injured," Killigan backed.
"Fukushima may still be alive!" Yori exclaimed.
"Fukushima? Wait, I spotted him by a cliff's edge fighting off a horde! He looked like he was a lost cause. I tried to reach him but was waylaid. When I looked back, he was gone. I thought they'd finished him or that he'd gotten to the tower!" Will said.
"Blast that boy!" Monkey Fist yelled angrily. "Fukushima! Fukushima!"
"Help!" they heard a distant voice scream.
"That was him!" Betty exclaimed, fear in her eyes.
"Get to the safe house, all of you! I'm getting the ninja!" Monkey Fist ordered.
"Monkey Fist…" Yori began.
"Dear girl, I can handle this," Monkey Fist cut off. "Go!" Immediately the others obeyed, turning and fleeing. Yori hesitated a moment more. Monkey Fist bowed to her. She swallowed and bowed back before finally turning and pursuing the rest. Monkey Fist turned, scowling. He would reach that child if it was the last thing he ever did.
KP
Fukushima fought desperately, but he was running out of energy fast. He crouched on the ground, panting. He spotted the cure once more. The cure he'd been trying to reach desperately. He'd stumbled on it, literally stumbled on it, by accident hardly five minutes ago. He'd been trying to seize it since, but every time he got close it ended up kicked away! The ninja scowled and leapt for it again. "I have you!" he exclaimed, seizing it. Finally, he held it in his hands!
The boy tried to break it open, but before he could ram it into the ground he was tackled and needed to focus on fighting back. He kicked off the hordes violently, then leapt up, fear in his eyes. He couldn't keep this up anymore! He backed away from the horde until he felt the ground crumbling beneath him. He turned and paled. Ooh, that was a long drop.
Fukushima looked back at the zombies and towards Go Tower. He would never reach it now. They lunged and Fukushima cried out as they tackled him and began ripping into his flesh and biting. He fought desperately back, but he knew there was no way he could win this battle!
Mother, soon I will be with you again. That, at least, is some form of relief.
"Help!" he screamed in his native tongue.
All at once, he heard a monkey shriek and the zombies began to fly off of him. Fukushima felt himself blacking out. He was losing blood at an alarming rate. Just like that, the infected were gone and he could breathe again. His eyes flickered open tiredly only to fall on Monkey Fist. The Monkey King stood stalwartly before him, defending him from the infected. Fukushima whimpered before closing his eyes again. He felt the man pick him up. He also heard the cure fall to the ground. Monkey Fist must not have noticed it. He tried to speak to warn him, but couldn't find his voice. He heard the others screaming for Monkey Fist to hurry, he felt his guardian draw him close, then sensed nothing more, finally blacking out...